Petals for Armor I
| Hayley Williams
Petals for Armor I
Petals for Armor I is the debut extended play (EP) by American singer-songwriter and Paramore frontwoman Hayley Williams. It was released on Atlantic Records on February 6, 2020, as the first in a planned series of releases in the Petals for Armor era.[1] Williams explained the inspiration behind its title is due to her belief that "the best way for me to protect myself is to be vulnerable." The EP was produced by American musician, songwriter, and record producer Taylor York and was written throughout 2019 during Paramore's hiatus after touring in support of their fifth studio album, After Laughter (2017). -Wikipedia
Critic Reviews
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Pitchfork
The Paramore singer’s debut solo album is emotionally vulnerable and musically ambitious, one that finds catharsis and enlightenment in the brambles of experimental pop production.
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Sputnik Music
After all, Petals for Armor I is anything but ordinary, and it places her on the precipice of something truly special.
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Rolling Stone
The Paramore singer’s excellent solo debut is full of feminine imagery and dance music textures that evoke diverse influences from Björk and Janet Jackson.
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The Guardian
one of the year's biggest revelations.
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Vulture
Petals for Armor is the winding road out of a bad place, the self-deprecating humor and self-pitying thought processes we engage in when we’re feeling down but also the cautious optimism and the new beginnings on the other side.
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Independent
Distorted, disorienting funk that charts singer’s evolution towards peace.
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It's All Dead
A mix of the 80’s-influenced sound Paramore adopted in 2017 is here but it doesn’t overtake it. Hayley clearly used After Laughter as a bridge for this next musical chapter to get us used to a lighter pop sound. But make no mistake – this is a Hayley Williams production.
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Slant Magazine
The album is a confident solo debut that suggests the singer has valences she’s just beginning to explore.
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Riot
Although there are a few hits on the track, the lack of consistency is problematic because the songs don’t connect. Perhaps there will be more a flow when the full album drops, but for now, it’s best to listen to the songs one at a time.
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Paste
The pop-punk icon takes on new sounds for old trauma on this soul-bearing debut.
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Kerrang
It’s a collection of songs that finds the vocalist bristling like never before.
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The Irish Times
a complex look at what happens when independence lands later than planned.
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The Upcoming
To say that this album is unrecognisable from Hayley William’s previous releases is no understatement. It’s a vital listen and will undoubtedly push the star back onto our playlists, and us back into obsession.
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The Young Folks
What Petals for Armor thinks is stripped-down and intimate actually sounds unfinished and undercooked musically. Williams’s great songwriting remains intact, even if sometimes she’s still awkward confronting her past, but the music here is mostly boring and basic.
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All Music
on Petals for Armor, it's Williams' ability to turn her dark, personal moments into anthems of survival that stick with you.
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Alligator
This isn’t Paramore, though. This is Hayley Williams, and the band’s long-time frontwoman does plenty to discern her own music and spirit from the band on her debut solo record.
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mxdwn
Fans of Williams’ powerhouse vocals, her openness and vehemence, pop enthusiasts, or even just curious Paramore rock fans will find something to love about Petals for Armor.
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Wall of Sound
I highly recommend people listen to Petals For Armor as it’s something fresh and fun and it’s just a really wonderful album. I give it a solid 9/10. The creative vision behind this whole record and the creative vision of the music videos to support the songs is just absolutely mind-blowing and I believe this is really something special.
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Under the Radar
Overall Petals For Armor proves that Hayley Williams, with her singing as sharp as ever, is no one trick pony and is willing to push the envelope outside of her comfort zone for a sophisticated and sensual debut album that should play well to the masses.
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Earbuddy
The concept here is great and the visuals are even better, making them an inseparable element of this project. It’s a visual EP, and it ought to be approached as such to get as much out of it as possible. It’s all about letting go of the old you to let yourself grow, becoming that new person and then becoming comfortable with who you are.
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The Student Playlist
Hayley Williams’ debut solo album ‘Petals For Armor’ showcases a different and interesting side to her personality outside of the context of Paramore.
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Indiana Daily Student
As a whole, the album feels caught in between Williams genuinely exploring ideas and themes and trying to meet the pressures of the moment, from the three-EP release, to the songs that sound more radio-ready than emotionally vulnerable, the overly repetitive choruses (a problem that gets so old, old, old by the third track she does it on)
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The Edge
Hayley Williams' debut album is quietly unapolgetic in its intimate look at the singers personal struggles.
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NME
Paramore singer goes it alone with fiercely vulnerable alt-pop.
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London in Stereo
Petals For Armor marks Williams maturing both lyrically and sonically. One of the final tracks on the album ‘Watch Me While I Bloom’ can be interpreted as a tongue-in-cheek dare: Williams’ femininity will no longer be used against her, but will be the fertile foundation from which she grows into a stronger artist than ever.
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MSN
Petals for Armor doesn’t offer up an easy redemptive arc towards happiness; it is a Herculean effort to pull yourself out of depression. But in letting us in on that effort, Williams has created something special.
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Rock Cellar
Produced by Williams and her Paramore band mate Taylor York, the sheer depth of this record is quite astounding, honestly, in terms of the variety of sounds explored throughout.
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Dead Press
As a debut solo project goes, ‘Petals For Armor’ is the perfect introduction to this new era of Hayley Williams, and one that acts as a vulnerable catharsis whilst seeing her in a number of ways be born anew.
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Beats per Minute
This is a record which feels familiar and safely experimental, while Williams reveals more of herself than ever before. Just exactly who that is isn’t yet certain, and where she’ll go from here is anyone’s guess, but it’s sure to be interesting.
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Daily Bruin
Hayley Williams’ solo debut ‘Petals for Armor’ is a masterful act of introspection.
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Backseat Mafia
Petals for Armor is a complete release of emotion that leads to you really understanding the intimate depths of Williams' psyche. Rarely does an album really delve into the aura of someone's soul only to emerge with a beautifully written near-perfect recording.
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No Ripcord
Petals for Armor succeeds best at sustaining a mood throughout, capturing the chaotic ups and downs of depression. Some moments are sugary sweet, while others are biting and angry, but the album keeps things healthy by switching between infectious pop tunes and mellow art-pop parts.
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The Times
The former teenage icon tackles her demons full on.
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The Post
When someone hears the name Hayley Williams, they typically think of the powerhouse vocalist who carried them through their teen years via the iconic rock group Paramore. On her first solo project, Petals for Armor, however, she veers off into a more subtle approach.
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Student Edge
If it’s inspirational at all, it’s because Williams maintains in her delivery that she might get things right the next time around. At least musically—with this collection of mysterious, dark melodies—she’s gotten it right the first time.
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Vinyl Chapters
If you were a big fan of Hayley Williams back in the Paramore days then this album could be quite shocking to you, Hayley’s different approach to music was a gamble that would not have been taken lightly. However, because of her extreme talents she has still managed to pull the record off.
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The Line of Best Fit
With Petals For Armor Williams reclaims her story and starts anew: she is her own saviour.
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Stereoboard
‘Petals For Armor’ tells us that, despite the challenges we may encounter, kindness can be the best form of resilience.
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Inside The Setlist
Petals For Armor I is clever, intricate and vulnerable while being bold and brave. The story telling is splendid and I can't wait to see where this story takes us next.
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Hot Press
While the project stands up powerfully in three distinct parts, as one 15-track album, we occasionally find ourselves repeating the same territory more than once. Yet, as a reflection of a jagged journey, this imperfect plot feels refreshingly organic.
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DIY
Her most bold musical move yet.
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Thomas Bleach
From start to finish the fifteen track record takes you on a journey of self-discovery and self-reflection. It’s an album designed to listen to from start to finish and takes the listener on a vivid journey that explores your creative senses.
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Recomended Listen
Petals for Armor sees her making strides toward an elevated conscious of the self and her creative identity that braces for the harshest of elements, and finds new ways to outlast any of them.
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The VLM
The album is an assortment of style and genre. From the opening lyrics, “rage is a quiet thing” in ‘Simmer’, through to the optimistic ending of ‘Crystal Clear’, Petals for Armor is a journey to clarity from the former teenage punk icon.
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London Indoors
Pop punk poster girl's solo debut is a bold progression.
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I News
These are contagious songs, lathered in unexpected inventiveness which take the singer in an entirely new direction.
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The Arts Desk
Debut album from Paramore frontwoman is a funkin' great surprise.
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Stars and Scars
Hayley Williams manages to meet fan expectations while also offering a more than effective showcase for her individual artistic talents. Embarking on a solo venture can be quite a daunting feat for any artist, but if this EP illustrates anything, Williams is more than ready to meet expectations and achieve progression. There’s certainly no misery in that business.
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Av Club
Petals for Armor is therapy in sweet motion.
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Melodic Magazine
Overall, Petals For Armor is an album that does not play by the rules. The tracks are unconventional and intricate, with revealing lyrics and peculiar melodies. There is a certain level of acceptance within each track, reminding us that we do not need to feel ashamed of our downfalls, or bothered by our feelings; it is all about letting go.
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Clash
Overall, ‘Petals For Armor’ is a surprising listen, and not regarding the quality of the songs, Williams, and co. have proven their worth time and time again in that regard, rather in its scope and confidence.
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Upside Down Shark
If you’re a Paramore fan, it’s likely a given but you should definitely get something out of Petals For Armor. If you just like really good Pop/Indie-Pop music, this will also suit you perfectly.
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Pop Crave News
Petals for Armor is redemption decades in the making, a solo album that could not have come any earlier or later in Williams’ life or career. For old fans, it’s a cathartic and honest chapter to add to the Paramore story. For new ones, it’s a refreshing tale of a woman reaching full bloom.
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Riff Magazine
Petals For Armor, while at times musically challenging, serves as a tremendous artistic endeavor from Williams. It’s a throwback to a time when albums were more often looked at as complete works that needed to be listened to in order. It documents a personal journey that is still a work in progress.
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Our Culture
the album certainly succeeds in setting out the stage for Williams as a compelling solo artist, one whose dynamic range and multidimensional personality can no longer be ignored.
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Birn
As dark as Petals For Armor I gets, Hayley Williams unapologetically wears her vulnerability like armor. With or without Paramore, her empowering presence in contemporary rock won’t be fading away any time soon.
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Tech Telegraph
Williams’s label, Atlantic, played a very long game because now, after After Laughter, it finally has a Hayley Williams solo album, Petals for Armor, whose theme is strength through vulnerability.
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Earth to Emma
Closing with ‘Crystal Clear‘, the album comes full circle with a strong focus on hope and an even stronger message that we should all keep with us, especially through this tough time.
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Cameroon Magazine
One of the year’s biggest revelations.
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Haunted Publications
Her vocals are just as strong as ever and she is exceeding the limits many had confined her too. Could Hayley Williams be in the front running for the best album for the new decade? Quite possibly.
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